Bible Strands
Genesis 46:24
The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the names of Naphtali’s descendants during Jacob’s family migration to Egypt. This list is entered into the text as the household prepares to settle in Goshen.
The words — The phrase וּ/בְנֵ֖י נַפְתָּלִ֑י (u./ve.Nei naf.ta.Li) literally translates to "and the sons of Naphtali." The subsequent terms יַחְצְאֵ֥ל (yach.tze.'El), גוּנִ֖י (gu.Ni), יֵ֥צֶר (Ye.tzer), and שִׁלֵּֽם (shi.Lem) are presented as a closed list of proper names.
The thread — The identical quartet of names appears in 1 Chronicles 7:13. The broader lineage is established in Genesis 30:7 and Genesis 35:25, which identify Naphtali as a son of Jacob and Bilhah.
Why it lands — The verse operates as a factual inventory that confirms the structural composition of Jacob’s lineage. It demands that the reader accept the recorded names as complete and authoritative without seeking additional explanation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 7:13 The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum—the descendants of Bilhah.
- Genesis 30:7 And Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
- Genesis 35:25 The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.
- Genesis 49:21 Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
- Numbers 1:15 and from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.”
- Numbers 1:42 From the sons of Naphtali, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,
- Numbers 26:48 These were the descendants of Naphtali by their clans: The Jahzeelite clan from Jahzeel, the Gunite clan from Guni,
- Deuteronomy 33:23 Concerning Naphtali he said: “Naphtali is abounding with favor, full of the blessing of the LORD; he shall take possession of the sea and the south.”
- 2 Kings 15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people as captives to Assyria.
- 1 Chronicles 2:2 Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.